Sunscreen:
Questions & answers

Enjoy the sun with care. Remember the three simple rules:

Shade: Enjoy life in the shade between 12 and 3 PM, when the sun is at its strongest.
Sun hat: Wear a sun hat and loose-fitting clothing.
Sunscreen: Always use a good sunscreen – and use plenty. Protect your skin every day. From the first glimpse of spring to the last autumn morning – and all the days in between when the sun peeks through.

Apply a generous amount of sunscreen several times during the day if you spend time in the sun. And always after swimming, sweating, or drying off with a towel.

The sun's rays contain two types of ultraviolet (UV) rays: UVA and UVB. These are light rays and invisible to the eye. It is important to protect yourself against both types of rays. UVB rays can cause sunburn and sun rash. UVB rays are the rays most likely to cause skin cancer, while UVA rays can damage the skin's DNA and cause premature ageing of the skin. The Danish Cancer Society recommends that you take extra care when the UV index is 3 or above. So seek shade, use a sun hat and sunscreen.

SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and it is the protection that the product provides against UVB rays. The SPF factor is determined by testing sun exposure on human skin and the amount of sunscreen needed to prevent sunburn.

If you should go for SPF 15, 30 or 50 depends on several things. According to the official recommendations from The Danish Health Authority, SPF 15 is sufficient for sun in Denmark, though it may vary depending on your skin type. If you have pale skin, we recommend you use higher protection – SPF 30 or 50, if you are to stay in the sun for a longer period. Besides, we recommend SPF 30 as a minimum when you go to places where the sun is more intense than in Denmark. It’s always a good idea to check the UV-index and do a bit of research on your destination before going – it’s also a good idea to stay updated on the sun’s intensity in Denmark.

Sun filters are the active ingredients in your sun cream that prevent UV rays from penetrating the skin, either by reflecting or absorbing the sun’s rays. Physical filters reflect the rays, while chemical filters absorb them.

At Rudolph Care, we are proud of the way we have chosen to formulate our sun care products. We use five chemical UV filters, all of which are approved by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. This means they have been assessed and approved by an independent third party and meet strict chemical requirements related to both human health and environmental protection.

The chemical UV filters that protect your skin are:

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine: Chemical UVA filter that also has a synergistic effect on UVB filters and other UV filters.

Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Arginine, Coco-Glucoside, Disodium Lauryl Sulfosuccinate, Aqua: Chemical UVA filter that also has a synergistic effect on UVB filters and other UV filters.

Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate: Chemical UVA filter.

Diethylhexyl Butamido Triazone: Chemical UVB filter.

Ethylhexyl Triazone: Chemical UVB filter.

But wait, “chemical”?

The word chemical can easily raise concerns and may sound negative, but it does not have to be. When chosen carefully, chemistry can be both safe and effective. We have chosen chemical UV filters because they allow us to develop sun care products with high, broad-spectrum protection while maintaining a pleasant skin feel and meeting the requirements for Nordic Swan Ecolabel certification.

Why don’t we use mineral filters?

This is a question we are often asked. The answer is closely linked to our commitment to using only UV filters that can be approved by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel, as well as our high product standards and uncompromising approach to sun protection.

For many years, the mineral filter titanium dioxide was not permitted under the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. Although the criteria have since changed and titanium dioxide is now allowed, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel still does not approve the mineral UV filter zinc oxide. Without zinc oxide, it is difficult to achieve high, broad-spectrum protection above SPF 30 using mineral filters alone.

For this reason, we have chosen chemical UV filters, which make it possible to develop Nordic Swan Ecolabel-certified sun care products, including our most popular SPF 50 variants, while delivering the sensorial experience we want. Another reason we favour chemical filters is that they do not leave the skin feeling greasy or sticky, nor do they leave a white cast.

Mineral filters leave a white cast on the skin unless they are used in nano form. We have actively chosen not to use nanoparticles in our products, although we continue to follow developments in this area closely.

Much more than you think! The recommendations state that you should use a generous handful of cream (approx. 40 ml) for your entire body in order to achieve the SPF level indicated on the product label. For the face you need the amount equivalent to a teaspoon, i.e. 6 ml. A child needs a child-sized handful to cover the entire body. It’s quite a large amount, and new studies from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency show that the average Dane doesn’t use sufficient sun protection. A very thin application of SPF 15 sun cream translates into a mere SPF 2-4 on the skin, and that can mean potential sun damage.

We recommend applying two coats of sun cream – one right after the other. Apply generously to achieve full protection and follow the recommendations on seeking shade and avoiding sun at midday in order to get the best sun protection for your skin.

Always remember to reapply sun cream after swimming or sweating. The products are water-resistant but their sun protection efficacy is reduced after contact with water.

Protect yourself once too often rather than once too little – and after every dip, if you have been perspiring or you have dried yourself with a towel.

As a rule of thumb, always keep your sun products in the shade and at room temperature - preferably below 20 degrees celcius. At the beach do try to keep your sunscreen cool in the shade or with your cold beverages.

Rudolph Care’s sun products last for up to six months after they’re opened. If you have a few remains left over from last summer that were exposed to heat and sunlight, we recommend that you toss it. If you’ve stored the opened container in a cool, dark place, it’s fine to use. If the sun cream smells strange or separates, bin it.

The protection does not deteriorate. But the sun protection range does consist of organic, natural ingredients with limited shelf life and we can’t guarantee your cream to smell and feel just like we intend it to do if it has been opened and used for more than six month. That’s why we say that an opened sun product lasts for one sun season only.

In Kids Sun Lotion we’ve removed the active ingredients and the natural perfume. Though you’ll still find soothing, calming and moisturizing ingredients – cucumber, for example. The rest of the sun series contain plenty of active ingredients that nourish and care for the skin in the sun, and it contains natural perfume.

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is your guarantee that the product you're using is considerate of both your health and that of the environment. It's also a quality stamp, ensuring nothing but good ingredients. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel allows only specific sun filters and prohibits sun filters that are on the EU's list of substances suspected of being endocrine disruptors or proven to be allergens.

Besides, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel prohibits the sun filters Benzophenone-3 and Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate that harm corals - which is why you will never find these in our sun series nor in our self-tanning series.

This is due to the simple reason that we do not agree with COSMOS’s sun filter policy. They only approve physical filters. We have chosen to use 5 effective chemical sun filters that are neither greasy, sticky nor leave a white residue while they effectively protect against both UVA and UVB. The 5 sun filters are all approved by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. It's your guarantee that you, the environment and your health are taken into account.

When you use Rudolph Care sunscreen, you can be sure it is created with respect for the ocean. The UV filters benzophenone-3 and ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate are suspected to be endocrine disruptors, and recent studies show that these two filters alter coral DNA and cause hormonal disruption, leading young corals to die. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel naturally prohibits these two filters, and they have therefore never been on any of our ingredient lists.

Because the sunscreen's texture, spreadability and characteristics are important to us. We have for example added nourishing ingredients such as chamomile and soothing and moisturizing cucumber. Unfortunately, Asthma Allergy Nordic doesn't approve of these ingredients and that’s why we’ve chosen not to be certified with Asthma Allergy Nordic. Kids Sun Lotion is certified with the Nordic Swan Ecolabel – your guarantee that special consideration has been given to the environment and to your health. And that the quality is good. Kids Sun Lotion also carries the AllergyCertified label which is your guarantee that the product contains no known allergens or allergenic preservatives and that each individual ingredient has been assessed by a toxicologist and is 100% fragrance-free.

Our sun series contains between 20 and 25 percent organic ingredients. Under the list of ingredients, we state the organic percentage of the product concerned. 20 and 25 percent ecology may not seem like much, but water for instance counts as a natural ingredient and not as an organic one. And water (aqua on the ingredient list) is often the main ingredient.

Yes and no. Kids Sun Lotion, Sun Balm and Sun Stick do not contain perfume, though the rest of the series contains a delicate, natural perfume made from natural oils without synthetic ingredients. We have chosen a natural perfume that is completely free of the 26 declarable allergenic fragrances that cause the strongest reactions in people and which the EU recommends avoiding.

Yes, all of our sun protection, besides Sun Face Cream, Sun Face Serum and Sun Face Oil is water resistant. Though after bathing and drying, some of the sun protection will be washed off despite the water resistance. To maintain full protection, be sure to apply sunscreen after a dip in the water.

Well, you don’t HAVE to use aftersun, though you’ll do your skin a great favor if you do. Aftersun repairs and cools down your skin after a day in the sun – in our sun series you’ll find both the refreshing spray Aftersun Repair Spray and cooling gel, Aftersun Shimmer Sorbet or Aftersun Soothing Sorbet.

Always go for this rule of thumb: a handful for the body and the amount equivalent to a teaspoon for the face. To achieve optimum protection we recommend applying two coats of sunscreen, separating the recommended amounts into two applications. This both gives your skin a chance to keep up with the absorption of the sunscreen and you’ll minimize the risk of missing any spots.

Sunscreen can cause stains and discoloration to clothing and other items. Therefore, give the sunscreen time to absorb before getting dressed – it’s the sun filters that protect you from UVA & UVB rays that may cause stains. You can prevent it if you let yourself air-dry well. Also consider leaving your most delicate and white clothing at home. And lastly, you can minimize that risk of stains if you wash your hands after applying sunscreen.

If you already got a stain, we recommend following these three steps:

1. Apply ample liquid detergent to dyed fabrics directly on the stain and allow it to stand overnight. This will make the textile fibers lift and expand, making the stain easier to remove.

2. Wash the item according to the instructions on the label.

3. Repeat the process 2-3 times if necessary.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT use detergent with optical brighteners, bleach or stain remover with OXI action; it may worsen the stain and make it more difficult to remove.

Some sun creams can soften or dissolve nail polish, and even though that may sound a little toxic, there is nothing dangerous in our sun product. Sun creams today contain high UV protection with many filters, so it’s necessary to add a large quantity of softening oils in order to ensure that the sun cream applies smoothly to the skin. These oils are the reason that your nail polish may become softened. Nail polish requirements have also become stricter, which means that they dissolve more easily.

At Rudolph Care, we use the UV filter DHHB in our sun care products. We choose it because it is an effective filter that provides excellent protection against the sun’s UVA rays, while also being approved by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. For example, the Nordic Swan Ecolabel does not allow the mineral filter zinc oxide in sunscreens (which some brands use specifically for UVA protection), as zinc oxide has a negative impact on the environment, including aquatic organisms.

The impurity DnHexP can be formed from DHHB, and this is, of course, something we monitor extremely closely. Naturally, we comply with EU Regulation 2026/909, which sets a maximum limit of 10 ppm. Our own maximum limit for DnHexP in the UV filter is as low as ≤1 ppm (equivalent to less than one millionth), and we have full documentation confirming compliance.

We rely on the Nordic Swan Ecolabel because, as an independent third party, it sets exceptionally high standards for both the ingredients used in our products and the requirement that raw materials contain only extremely low levels of impurities. That is why the Nordic Swan Ecolabel is always your assurance that you can avoid unwanted chemicals.

The short answer:

No. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel prohibits microplastics, so you will not find them in our products.

The long answer:

At Rudolph Care, we align with the official EU definition of microplastics in accordance with EU Regulation 2023/2055. Here, microplastics are defined as solid, synthetic polymers where all particle dimensions are 5 mm or less, or polymers where the length is 15 mm or less and the ratio of length to diameter is greater than 3. However, certain properties may exempt a polymer from being classified as microplastic.

Until now, several unofficial definitions of microplastics have existed, and according to some of these definitions, certain Rudolph Care products have been considered to contain microplastics. This is partly because some unofficial definitions do not differentiate between polymers. All plastics are polymers, but not all polymers are plastics.

In earlier definitions, microplastics have been described as both liquid and solid polymers. Under the EU’s official definition, however, microplastics are defined solely as solid, synthetic polymer particles. For this reason, Hydrogenated Dimer Dilinoleyl/Dimethylcarbonate Copolymer has previously been regarded as microplastic under certain definitions, but according to the new EU definition, the polymer is not classified as microplastic, as it is liquid.

Some solid polymers that are defined as microplastics under the new regulation lose their microplastic properties during the blending process of our products. This applies, for example, to Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, which acts as a stabilizer in the formulation. Products containing this ingredient may therefore be microplastic-free, even though the polymer is defined as microplastic before it is incorporated into the product.

The ingredient Acrylates/C12-22 Alkyl Methacrylate Copolymer is part of the UV filter system in our Sun Face Cream SPF 50, Sun Body Lotion SPF 50, and Kids Sun Lotion SPF 50, and is not classified as microplastic according to the EU’s official definition.

The ingredients Ceteareth-12 and Ceteareth-20 are both vegetable oil-in-water emulsifiers and consistency agents. They are fully biodegradable and approved by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. They are added to stabilize the sun care formulations.

If you have further questions about our ingredients, you are always welcome to explore our ingredient lists or contact us at contact@rudolphcare.com.